Thursday, January 24, 2013

St Petersburg continued

 St Petersburg area for the month on January has really given me the wunderlust (I want to move on).  Way too much traffic, too many people, and waaaayy too long and frequent traffic lights.  So Randy found Honeymoon Island.  Only 20 miles (45min drive) out to an island owned by the DNR and NO traffic lights, minimal cars, and more animals then people.  It was an Osprey habitat and we saw plenty.  Catch the fish in those talons.
Last week we went to the Clearwater Aquarium and saw Winter the dolphin from the movie Dolphin Tales.  It's a rescue aquarium and they have a few other dolphins, otters, turtles, pelicans....  Most of the day Winter is in the buff, but twice a day they put his tale on and do therapy.  We got to see the transition.  Great story, if you haven't seen the movie (in Redbox). 

Samantha flew down for 4 days to get warm and visit.  She's a Wisconsin girl, as it was too warm for her and she missed to cold.  Give her 30 years, she'll change her mind.  Had a great time touring and visiting Flea Markets.  There are roughly 8 every weekend within a 20 mile radius.  Some are like bad garage sales, but others are great finds.  We had to loan her luggage to pack all of her treasures in to get back home. 
Randy took me to Kobe Japenese Steakhouse for my birthday.  I have always wanted to go to one and see how they cook the food right infront of you.  Very entertaining and great food. 

Friday, January 11, 2013

New Year


Welcome 2013!  We've moved up the Gulf Coast a bit more and are now near Clearwater.  Just being beach bums and exploring the area.  Having the motorcycle has been awesome!  Jump on the bike (40 mpg) and just cruise.  There are alot of "touristy" type things, but we've been trying to find the stuff off the path and different.  So we've walked the beaches, bicycled the streets, Tampa aquarium, Museum of Science & Industry, walked Tarpon Springs, and been in search of flea markets.

 Love the weather we've been having 70-80's.  It's been real difficult to figure out our "routine".  Staying up until midnight sorting through cupboards and trying to reorganize.  Today we removed everything from the bays (under the coach storage areas) and re-organize.  Randy's always saying "I know I brought XYZ, but I don't know where it is".  so today we organized, catagorized, and re-stored everything.  Now we have a list and location of everything hidden in the basement.  I've started crocheting again and plan to do some Rosemaling again.  Crafting things I haven't had time to do but love to do.  It's still difficult, because I've always had a routine to life (sleep, wake, work, cook, clean, etc) Now I've got some time in that "work" segment and want to make every moment count, but what to do??  Great time for reading my Bible more and making better priorities, touring, and spending time together.  Buddy loves hanging out with us too.  It's weird how I thought we would both go through work withdrawls, NOT.  I loved having Christmas AND New Years off without having to beg and plead for someone to work for me or not getting it off at all.  The last time I had them both off was in 1988, maternity leaving having Sarah and before that 1978 before I had regular employment. Decorated the motorhome for our Beaver Ambassador Rally.  It's a Beaver Reindeer.  Beaver is the model of our RV.
Randy's biggest issues with Florida are that fact that nobody seems to put their grocery carts away, they leave them next to their car - for the next guy to hit.  OR all of the traffic lights and inability to make left hand turns without always making U-turns and coming back.  They do like their car horns down here too.  I'm ready to get out of the south and start heading north.  Maybe we've been too close to bigger cities??  Anyway, it's going well and we are getting organized and figuring things out......slowly.

This is St Petersburg view from The Pier.  A upside down pyramid looking building at the end of this pier.  Stores, aquarium, restaurants, and a great upper deck to look out over St Petersburg and Tampa Bay.
Never seen one of these signs in Wisconsin. 
Got asked to go for a Sunday afternoon motorcycle ride with a few of the folks here at the campground.  Ended up 100 miles away and at some biker bar in the middle of who knows where for supper.  Great fried chicken, baked beans, and rice for $6.00 but we've never been were there were 100+ motorcycles and everyone in leather.  There happen to be an airboat dock right next to the grounds.  Kinda cool to see airboats come in.  There was live music, and it wasn't too bad.  The mean age was 60.  So even retired bikers go to Florida in the winter.  Here's a picture of my favorite biker.